W-beam deck drain

Abstract

A deck drain apparatus is provided that allows builders to inexpensively configure deck drainage systems from standard AASHTO M180 highway guardrail. The apparatus includes a number of deck drain sections, butted together to form a drain channel. Each of the drain sections consists of a pan section and an inverted W-beam section. The pan section has a longitudinally elongated and flat conducting surface and two perforated sides. The two perforated sides project upwardly along opposite lateral edges of the conducting surface. The inverted W-beam section has a first perforated wall, a first upper surface, a lower surface, a second upper surface, and a second perforated wall. The perforated walls are longitudinally elongated and formed along opposite lateral edges of the inverted W-beam section. The first upper surface is formed between the first perforated wall and the lower surface. The second upper surface is formed between the lower surface and the second perforated wall. The inverted W-beam section is inserted into the pan section, creating friction bonds between the first perforated side and the first perforated wall, and between the second perforated side and the second perforated wall.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A deck drain apparatus, comprising: 
       a plurality of drain sections, placed end-to-end to form a conduit, each of said plurality of drain sections comprising:  
       a pan section, having a longitudinally elongated and flat conducting surface, a first perforated side, and a second perforated side, said perforated sides upwardly projecting along opposite lateral edges of said conducting surface; and  
       an inverted W-beam section, having a first perforated wall, a first upper surface, a lower surface, a second upper surface, and a second perforated wall, said perforated walls being longitudinally elongated and formed along opposite lateral edges of said inverted W-beam section, said first upper surface formed between said first perforated wall and said lower surface, said second upper surface formed between said lower surface and said second perforated wall;  
       wherein said inverted W-beam section is inserted into said pan section, creating friction bonds between said first perforated side and said first perforated wall, and between said second perforated side and said second perforated wall.  
     
     
       2. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of drain sections are fabricated from galvanized steel. 
     
     
       3. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said W-beam section is fabricated from AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail. 
     
     
       4. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail is fabricated from 10 or 12 gauge steel (Class A) and is galvanized (Type 2). 
     
     
       5. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said pan section is perforated along axes defined by the intersection of said first perforated side and said flat conducting surface and by the intersection of said second perforated side and said flat conducting surface. 
     
     
       6. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein perforations along said axes are approximately 1 inch in diameter and wherein said perforations are spaced along each of said axes at approximately 6-inch intervals. 
     
     
       7. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said first and second perforated walls each comprise a plurality of alternating tabs and notches, said notches being spaced at approximately 2.5-inch intervals. 
     
     
       8. The deck drain apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said tabs flex to allow said inverted W-beam upper section to be inserted into said pan section. 
     
     
       9. A deck drain section, comprising: 
       a drain pan section, having a longitudinally elongated and flat conducting surface, a first side, and a second side, said sides projecting upwardly along opposite lateral ends of said conducting surface; and  
       an upper section, fabricated from AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail, having alternating tabs and notches along opposite lateral edges of said upper section;  
       wherein said upper section is coupled to said drain pan section by friction bonds between said first side and a first one of said opposite lateral edges, and between said second side and a second one of said opposite lateral edges.  
     
     
       10. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail is fabricated from 12 gauge steel (Class A) and is galvanized (Type 2). 
     
     
       11. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said drain pan section is fabricated from 10 or 12-gauge steel. 
     
     
       12. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said drain pan section is galvanized. 
     
     
       13. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said drain pan section is perforated along axes defined by the intersection of said first side and said flat conducting surface and by the intersection of said second side and said flat conducting surface. 
     
     
       14. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 13 , wherein perforations along said axes are approximately 1 inch in diameter and wherein said perforations are spaced at approximately 6-inch intervals along said axes. 
     
     
       15. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said notches are longitudinally spaced along said opposite lateral edges at approximately 2.5-inch intervals. 
     
     
       16. The deck drain section as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said tabs flex to allow said inverted W-beam upper section to be coupled to said drain pan section. 
     
     
       17. A deck drainage system, comprising: 
       deck drain sections laid end-to-end to form a conduit along a deck, each of said deck drain sections comprising:  
       a drain pan part, said drain pan part being longitudinally elongated, and having a flat bottom and two perforated sides, said two perforated sides projecting normal to said flat bottom along opposite lateral edges of said flat bottom; and  
       an upper part, fabricated from AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail, having alternating tabs and notches formed along opposite lateral ends of said upper part;  
       wherein said upper part is inserted into said drain pan part to form press-fit bonds between first tabs along a first one of said opposite lateral ends and a first one of said two perforated sides, and between second tabs along a second one of said opposite lateral ends and a second one of said two perforated sides.  
     
     
       18. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said AASHTO M180 W-beam highway guardrail is fabricated from 10 or 12 gauge steel (Class A) and is galvanized (Type 2). 
     
     
       19. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said drain pan part is fabricated from 12-gauge steel. 
     
     
       20. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein said drain pan part is galvanized. 
     
     
       21. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein-said drain pan part has perforations along axes defined by the intersection of said first one of said two perforated sides and said flat bottom and by the intersection of said second one of said two perforated sides and said flat bottom. 
     
     
       22. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 21 , wherein said perforations are approximately 1 inch in diameter and wherein said perforations are longitudinally spaced at approximately 6-inch intervals along said axes. 
     
     
       23. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said tabs are longitudinally spaced along each of said opposite lateral ends at approximately 2.5-inch intervals. 
     
     
       24. The deck drainage system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein said tabs flex to allow said upper part to be inserted into said drain pan part.